Axe handle fastening



H. E. FULTON AXE HANDLE FASTENING Filed Oct. 9, 1937 l lllll-lllll ll-III] Illll Illllll Ill-l ll'lllllll I I Zinnentor B 17017: E. FuZZ'om attorneys.

April 25., 1939.

9%fi//////////////// f Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED TES PATENT OFFHCE Application October 9,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in axe handle fastenings and has for an object to provide an improved device associated with the handle and head of the axe for the purpose of binding these two parts together and avoiding the separation of the same.

Considerable annoyance and danger is caused by the loosening of the axe handle within the head of an axe. The danger is occasioned by the likelihood of the head flying ofi the handle in the act of swinging the axe. Th'e annoyance occurs due to the fact that the head moves relatively upon the handle and it is not always possible to properly gauge the action of the edge of the axe upon the object or target.

The present invention aims to eliminate this annoyance and danger and to retain the head upon the handle in a tight and fixed position.

The above objects are accomplished according to the invention without spreading the wood which is detrimental to the handle and which is apt to set up splitting strains therein,

Another consideration served by the present invention is that the present device prevents the J axe handle working loose when the handle is seesawed in the act of prying the head loose from wood into which it has been strongly driven. This see-sawing action, well known to the Woodsman, has the affect to move the handle back and forth while the tendency of the axe head is to remain stationary in an embedded position in the wood. This action not only tends to loosen the handle but also todislodge any of the fastening devices heretofore used.

5 With the foregoing and other objects in View,

the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional form of axe showing the application of the improved handle fastening.

' Figure 2 is a similar view with parts broken away and parts shown in section, with the fastening device illustrated in an initial position occupied just prior to driving the device downwardly into the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fastening device as a commercial article apart from the axe.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 55 designates the head of an axe and 6 its handle.

in l

1937, Serial No. 168,272

These parts are conventional and are fitted to one another in the customary manner.

The improved fastening device is shown more particularly in Figure 4 and consists generally of a surface blade or wall 7, side wings 8 and 9 5 and a top flange Ill. The surface blade or wall I may be straight or fiat; that is, all of its surface may lie in the same plane; or it may be rounded slightly to conform to the rounded surface portion of the handle 6 of the axe,

At its lower edge the wall I is pointed as indicated at H to facilitate its entrance between the handle 6 and the socket wall of the axe head 5. For the same reason divergent edges l2 and I3 extend upwardly from the apex point I I to a position where these upwardly and outwardly inclined edges I2 and I3 merge with the lower curved edges IA of the wings 8 and 9. Inasmuch as the wings 8 and 9 are driven into the wood of the handle 6, such lower curved edges I4 are preferably sharpened to facilitate such entrance into the wood. The curved form of these edges It enables the wings 8 and 9 to open up a passage and to gradually widen that passage as the fastening device is driven downwardly into its final position shown in Figure 1.

It is unnecessary to do any preliminary cutting in the handle 6 prior to the application of the fastening device to the axe.

The top flange IG extends over the top of the axe head 5 and against such axe head in the final position of the device as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

In the wall I are inwardly-struck teeth l5, l6 and I1. Inasmuch as the device is preferably made from sheet metal possessing a degree of inherent resiliency, the teeth may be struck in wardly from the wall i. These teeth are preferably triangular in form, as shown in the drawing, with the base of the triangle forming the attachment with the wall I; while the apices of the triangles point inwardly and upwardly and constitute spurs which automatically embed themselves in the wood of the handle as shown in Figure 3.

In a similar manner similar teeth or spurs I8 are formed in the wings 8 and 9. Such teeth may be bent either in or out from the planes of said wings. In the single embodiment of this invention shown in the drawing, such teeth I8 are bent outwardly from such wings.

The wings 8 and 9 are bent angularly to the plane of the wall I. In the drawing this angle is shown to be a right angle. Such right angular position is found to be more effective but it is conceivable that other angular positions of the wings with respect to the wall 1 may be assumed.

Slits or cut away portions 19 are shown as formed between the wings and the top flange H3 in order to provide free spaces to facilitate the bending down of the flange Ill without interferonce from the top edges of the wings 8 and 9. The flange I is a continuation of the wall I. The cut away corner portions E9 subserve a further function in that they permit the flange ill to be folded over into the same horizontal plane with the top edges of the wings 8 and 9 whereby the top edges of the wings and the top surface of the flange 19 all lie in substantially the same horizontal plane to the end that hammer blows used to drive the device home will be received simultaneously upon the flange l 0 and wings 8 and 9.

It will be apparent that the hammer blows will thus be effective simultaneously upon the apex ll, beveled edges [2 and I3 and the curved edges l4. It would be undesirable for the hammer blows to be felt only in one part of the device. This arrangement acts to equally distribute the strain of the hammer blows and the strain of the device entering the wood to all parts of such device.

In manufacture, the device may be stamped, or otherwise produced, from a single sheet of resilient metal. In substantially one operation the device may be stamped out to form, the teeth struck-up therefrom, the wings folded back and the top flange folded down. The construction of the device lends itself to quick and economic manufacture by existing forms of machinery.

As a commercial article, the device is relatively small, cheap in point of material and manufacture, occupies small space for transportation and is light in weight to entail small transportation charges. Moreover the device is strong because the wings 8 and 9 and the flange l0 virtually constitute reinforcing ribs; consequently the device will not become readily distorted prior to use.

In use, the device is positioned in the manner indicated in Figure 2. This position is facilitated by the apex if being readily placed between the axe head and outer surface of the handle 6. After the apex I l is inserted the device is pushed d wn by hand, the divergent edges 12 and i3 facilitating this movement so that the lower entire width of wall i finally reaches a position entirely within the space between the axe head and handle. The device is pushed down by hand until the lower portions of curved edges l4 engage the upper end of handle 6. Hammer blows are thereupon delivered upon the upper end of the device, causing the wings 8 and 9 to be driven into the Wood of the handle 6 in the manner and position shown in Figures 1 and 3. In such position the flange l0 overlaps the top of the axe head and prevents such axe head from ever leaving the handle.

In driving the device downwardly, the teeth will tend to be pushed backwardly into the compass of the wall I and the wings 8 and 9 from which such teeth have been struck-up. However, the inherent resiliency of the metal will tend to spring these teeth outwardly from the planes of the parts carrying same, and the spring action will urge such teeth into the wood of the handle. Moreover any tendency of the device to creep upwardly will have the automatic effect to embed the teeth deeper in the wood body, and therefore more firmly resist any casual or accidental backing of the device upwardly out of its final position shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The see-sawing action of the handle 6 in an attempt to loosen the head from a jammed position in the Wood might have a tendency, if there were no wings 8 and 9, to act upon the flange [0 to cause creeping of the wall I out from between the handle and axe head. Moreover this seesawing of the handle would tend to shear off the teeth !5, l6 and ll, thus allowing the wall I to at any time move upwardly. The see-sawing action, however, is at right angles to the planes of the wings 8 and 9 and it therefore cannot have any such effect upon these wings or upon the teeth i8 of the wings. Moreover, these wings will resist any shifting movement of the wall I; and for the same reason prevent any relative movement of the top flange Ill.

The wings 8 and 9 are thin and they do not spread the wood or set up splitting strains therein.

The device will prevent the handle from working loose and will prevent the head from leaving the handle. It "is to be understood that the drawing shows only one embodiment of which the invention is susceptible.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved fastening of the character described comprising a thin flat wall having a pointed lower edge, wings extending angularly from the side edges of said wall, said wall and wings having prongs projecting therefrom in an upward direction, said wings having curved lower edges, and a flange on the upper portion of said wall extending angularly therefrom in a direction substantially opposite to said wings.

2. A fastener for securing an open socketed tool head on a handle, comprising a body plate adapted to be driven into the open outer end of the head socket at one side of the handle and having an outturned lip on its outer end adapted to engage the outer end of the tool head, said body plate having inturned longitudinal wings and inwardly projecting teeth inclined toward said outer end of the body plate adapted to be embedded in the handle when the body plate is driven into the tool head socket, the body plate adapted to be held from receding from the side of the handle by the wall of the tool head socket for retaining said wings and teeth embedded in the handle.

HARRY E. FULTON- 

